Heat sinks for electronic devices such as silicon controlled rectifiers (SCRs) for vehicle control systems are in common use. For example, they are used in SCR vehicle controls sold by the General Electric Company such as GE Catalog No. 259A8783G2 Rectifier Assembly. The assembly includes both the heat sink and the SCR which is sold as a single replacement unit covered with potting material even though it is usually only the SCR which needs to be replaced. The reason given is the difficulty in properly installing the SCR so that is makes correct thermal and electrical contact with the heat sink. The SCR is designed so that it must be clamped with the proper amount of force on both terminals. If not properly installed, the SCR will usually test as operative but fail within a few hours after the vehicle is placed back into use. To avoid such problems, the procedure usually followed is the costly one of installing an entire heat sink and SCR assembly.
Accordingly, there is a need for an SCR heat sink that can be reliably used in the field by workmen needing little in the way of instruction to properly install a new SCR in the heat sink. More particularly, there is a need for an SCR heat sink that can replace existing heat sink assemblies and be continuously and easily used thereafter while only the SCR is being replaced.